I always feel so much better after visiting Stalk-it's a light in the darkness, when things feel so…read moredark that you feel swallowed up by it. A cook, myself, I've been held prisoner in jobs that make one feel discouraged due to indifference and laxity. Eating here, taking in the pride of craft and respect for the clientele makes me realise that places -and people-do exist that truly care about about the customer and strive to make them forget their lives outside the comforting walls of this restaurant.
We shared a couple of apps: a crispy-skin chicken leg, indeed crispy and as usual, perfectly cooked, as usual. there are few greater pleasures in life like chicken that is juicy and cooked with an expert hand. It came with excellent ricotta mashed potatoes so good my daughter-who normally refuses to eat mashed potato-had to be fended off with my fork so Dad could swipe a couple forkfuls! The dark, flavorful sauce complimented both the meat and the potatoes. We also got the charred Halloumi cheese with pork belly with sweet and sour grapes and a whiff of finely chopped sage, again having to fend off my daughter for my portion...I was detecting a trend here...
For the main courses, my wife got the Black Cod with nicely browned fingerling potatoes and braised cabbage/asparagus. She rarely ate unbreaded fish until Stalk introduced her to exquisitely cooked and seasoned fish filets. My daughter got the mushroom and eggplant kofta with a superb cashew hummus and grilled pita that was cooked with love-grilled enough to get grill marks, but not so long as to cook the life out it-they were still soft and fluffy, with just enough crisp to make scooping the hummus practicable.
I got, against my usual practice of eating through the menu (as much as possible during a recipe cycle) to get the Sweet Potato Cavatelli-this is one of those dishes that I could never get often enough. the pasta dishes here are unfailingly excellent, with little culinary surprises in every one-this one, for me, in a dish with sausage AND pork belly no less, the unifying surprise is the Balsamic black butter! It just made every bite taste,,,right, perfectly complimenting the dish and making a delightfully whole flavour profile that one would not, perhaps, expect at a first blush. Taken with the Almond Romesco, it gave a slightly sweet, acidic depth that woke and gratified my palate. Again, as a cook, I appreciate the care and consideration on display that a dish such as this displays. It makes me happy...
Our desserts, sadly a harbinger of the meals' approaching end, left us with a nice parting glow-the Coconut Rice pudding-with a mango compote, ginger candied cashews and flashy cherry crisps was nice, light finisher, as was the, wait for it, English pea Mojito ice cream. This follows the Mad Scientist-esque genius of Stalk's ice creams. The unbridled exuberance on display with the ice cream flavours, always makes me lean towards the ice creams over many other fine and tempting desserts...this was no exception. The peas provided a subtle pea flavor, the chill mellowing the flavor we typically associate with peas, but not losing it, is worth a victory lap on its own. The zest of lime and a nicely chiffonaded mint layered on the finishing touches without overtaking the finish, a sign of the practiced hands at work.
I also must make mention of the French Press coffee service, there is truly no better way to take your coffee than via a French Press, it is so very nice to indulge in this simple life pleasure outside of my own kitchen...
I would be terribly remiss if I didn't give a shout out to the staff-from the exceedingly professional and courteous staff, to the bartender who was very engaging and free with her smiles all night, the professionals preparing our dinner, who deserve much credit for turning Chefs' vision into delicious and intruiging plates of food for all of us to enjoy, and finally to Chef Nicole, who is everywhere making sure everything is running as smooth as possible, yet taking the time to chat with the patrons whenever possible.
Our trips to Stalk are almost a pilgrimage-a reminder that cooking can be a joy, and that striving for that goal of making the diner perhaps, through the care and excellence of the food and its preparation, make them forget the nonsense outside the walls of the restaurant for even just an hour or so. This a lofty and noble goal, and one, for this diner, is always met. I hope it is for you, as well
